In
honor of National Nutrition Day, March 10, registered dietitians will
be available to answer questions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 10 in the
Ashley River Tower lobby.

by Johanna BrandonDietetic Intern
More than 50 percent of newly admitted MUSC patients are identified as
nutrition risks and benefit from the expertise of a registered
dietitian.

Under the management of gastroenterologist Mark DeLegge, M.D.,
inpatient MUSC dietitians’ nutrition support team functions as a vital
part of the multidisciplinary care. The clinical dietitians assess and
evaluate patients at nutritional risk, providing nutritional
recommendations, education, and nutritional support. The dietitians
play a vital role in maintaining and improving the nutrition status of
patients. In a study published by the American Dietetic Association,
management by a nutrition support team resulted in reductions in
mortality rate, length of hospital stay, readmission rate, and
complications compared with management by a non-team group. A benefit
of $4.20 was realized for every $1 invested in the nutrition support
team.

Likewise, MUSC outpatient dietitians work closely with physicians and
other health care professionals to provide diet and lifestyle
education, medical nutrition therapy, and individualized counseling for
a variety of patient populations. Results from the collective analysis
of 2008-2009 Sodexo Medical Nutrition Therapy Outcomes indicate that
patients who received follow-up education from a registered dietitian
lost an average of 2.68 pounds, as well as experienced a significant
decrease in their body mass index and hemoglobin A1C levels.

Each clinical dietitian has a bachelor of science degree in nutrition
and has completed a dietetic internship program to become both
registered and licensed in South Carolina. Dietitians managing
specialty patients have also received additional certifications in
diabetes education and nutrition support.

The
Catalyst Online is published weekly by the MUSC Office of Public
Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical
University of South Carolina. The Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn,
can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to The Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.